“I love winning these races because it keeps the belief burning in these breeding theories and systems. This is a fast filly, and Hayden thought she was capable of nabbing a big race with the sprint she’s got." NZ Champion Standardbred breeder, Brian West.
The Magness Benrow Sires’ Stakes Final–winning filly Secret Wish was “one in a herd of three” that Brian West admits he didn’t quite know what to do with as weanlings.
“I’d bred some mares to Bettor’s Wish when he was first available at stud here, and you wouldn’t fathom that all three would be fillies?!”
The market West operates in tends to speculate more confidently on colts than fillies by new stallions — no matter their credentials — a lesson learned over a long and successful career.
As nomination time for the 2024 yearling sales approached, the champion New Zealand Standardbred breeder made the call: he would keep the trio and race them himself rather than take a likely hit in the ring.
He’d been there before. And while Secret Wish’s pedigree page was typically strong, there wasn’t much happening yet to attract buyers. Her dam, Secret Lotion, hadn’t produced a runner of note, meaning a medium‑term project lay ahead — something West had succeeded with in this “Secret” family before.
“I had the same situation with Secret Potion quite a few years ago now,” he laughs. That filly — a sister to Secret Wish’s dam — went on to win the Nevele R Fillies Series and Northern Oaks back in 2010.
As tends to happen, the dial began to move shortly after West made his decision on the weanlings.
“Chase A Dream arrived that summer,” he recalls. “I’d had to stay in him too because he didn’t bring enough money at the yearling sales — but of course that was a great thing as it turns out.”
The outstanding colt matched his looks with a stunning Sires’ Stakes Final win on Cup Day, launching a million‑dollar career and giving his dam that cherished black‑type catalogue update.
Now Secret Wish is chasing her big half‑brother down the same Sires’ Stakes and feature‑race path. She’d been narrowly beaten in three Group races already from her 13 starts, so her slick victory in the Magness Benrow Sires’ Stakes Semi Final was a welcome breakthrough for West and the Cullen Racing team.
Her luck looked to have turned sour again when she made a costly error at a crucial moment in the Northern Oaks, yet she still closed strongly out wide. Drawing the pole for the Autumn Classic Final meant she’d get her chance to atone — and she did, convincingly, giving all involved high hopes heading into Spring and Summer.
“I love winning these races because it keeps the belief burning in these breeding theories and systems. This is a fast filly, and Hayden thought she was capable of nabbing a big race with the sprint she’s got. There’s confidence she can get better with the break.”
So what’s next for one of New Zealand’s most decorated breeders?
On the racetrack, he’s watching Wat Fun closely — a two‑year‑old filly on a similar path to the Studholme Park fillies who’ve gone before her, with the potential to repeat their success if all goes to plan.
Her backstory is slightly different. West always intended to keep and race her.
“I wanted a filly from that amazing Scuse Me family, and she was the one I’ve come up with through Wat A Woman and Bettor’s Delight. Thankfully she shows the sort of class required at this stage, although she is a big filly who will have one more run this campaign before going for a spell to bring her on perfectly, we hope,” he says, almost excited.
Hearing anything beyond “measured” from Brian West is rare — but he and his partner, Rolalie, have a non‑racing project on the go that may be spilling into the conversation.
A long‑planned retirement home on the Studholme farm at Coes Ford, southeast of Christchurch.
West has been “retiring” for years, so perhaps some bricks and mortar will finally make it real by Spring — with Secret Wish and Wat Fun in a nearby agistment paddock, looking on and potentially contributing to the foundations or the finishing touches with their blossoming race careers.
